getting out of murghab turned out to be quite challenge. about every 10 minutes, someone came by and either told us they're just going 200 metres or offer to drive us for no less than 100$. i have no issue giving a tip for people who offer me a ride, especially in the poorest country in central asia, but the fact that they didn't want to negotiate the price at all just pissed me (and the others) off. thank god for truck drivers, who are always willing to help, no matter where.
most of the time, truckers don't want to squeeze three people at once into the cabin, so when one offered to take one of us, we decided to split up and regroup later. although i had a headstart of over an hour, somehow the others overtook me and already waited in a container café when i finally arrived after 6 or so hours of driving through no mans land. in the first settlement, where i met the others, we restocked some groceries in a tiny little babushka store and waited for another hitchhiking opportunity while taking in the nature and the village life. it's crazy to think that people live out here.
eventually, we got a ride in a car with another great dude, but it was already pretty late, so when we saw two bikepackers seemingly heading for a campspot near a lake next to the road, we just decided to stop there and join them. good call.
the two cyclists turned out to be germans as well, of course, and they were super happy to have company for the evening. we found some wind shelter in a little abandoned soviet era military facility, where we set up our tents and made some dinner. the landscape around us was amazing, it kind of reminded me of the scottish highlands. a good movie in my tent and the sunset was the cherry on top.Read more
TajikistanTamdi37°41’3” N 73°11’42” E
TajikistanTamdi37°41’3” N 73°11’42” E